First I would like to say that this mock will be what I think the Titans will do, not what I would or even necessarily want us to do.

I looked back at last year as that was Ruston Webster's first year with us as GM. One year sample size obviously isn't great, but it is all I had to go off of to try and find trends that may play out in this years draft and mix it with my own opinions of the current state and philosophy of the FO.

One thing I noticed was how many of the players we had in for pre-draft visits were drafted by us: Kendall Wright, Zach Brown, Mike Martin, and Taylor Thompson* (one site said Thompson, while the others were on all lists). Basically we weren't all that secretive. So in making my mock I used the draft visit list at walterfootball and KT's thread heavily. A downside to my strategy is that not every visit gets reported, but hey, I'm doing what I can.

I eliminated a few from the list because looking through past years we never picked someone where he was the only elite person we brought in from a position. That caused me to eliminate Vaccaro and Floyd. (Joeckel is just simply a top 3 pick lock.) We always brought in multiple players from targeted positions and multiple elite players.
For example from last year:

So the 3 positions I am left with are, as I said earlier: OG, pass rushing DE, and CB.

I know it is popular, but I don't see us taking an OG. I just don't see anything in our drafting history to indicate we would ever seriously consider it. I know the rookie wage scale changes things to an extent....I just don't think we are the team to break the trend of no OG's being drafted in the top 10 since like the 70's or 80's I think I heard on ESPN. And I don't think we need to be. We have 4 average to elite starters as it stands. Will there be a noticeable improvement from an average OG versus a rookie blue chip OG? Personally I don't think so. And I certainly don't think it would be enough to justify spending pick 10 to do it.

Dee Milliner seems likely to be gone by 10 (likely to the Browns) and Dion Jordan is also highly likely to be gone although I think he would be the top choice of my earlier list.

We need more help at DE. We can not play Morgan and Wimbley as many snaps as we did last year. It just wears them down and makes them ineffective. Mingo would add to our pass rush and has an elite jump off the line. Basically I think we would use him how the Seahawks used Bruce Irvin last year.

Rhodes would be a big help to our secondary especially if we are planning on blitzing more which I presume we will based off of the hiring of Gregg Williams and I felt we blitzed more as the season progressed last season. Rhodes has great size making him a great press corner which would work well with allowing others to blitz and would also have him close to the LOS allowing him to blitz occasionally.

This concludes the mad science portion of this evening's events. As I must be reaching the max post length, my mock will be in the next post.

-> Basically what I said earlier. Provides more pass rush for us and can be moved around and stand up and rush in more creative packages. Also, helps decrease the snap counts for Morgan and Wimbley (mostly Wimbley).

2-8 (40)- Johnathan Banks, CB, Mississippi State

->Since I have us going with Mingo over Rhodes, this is where we get our bigger CB. Banks is tall, but could get a bit bulkier. He's a ballhawk for sure and will take chances. I think he could move outside and allow Verner to play in the slot. Having a tall CB is becoming a necessity as he would be matching up on guys like Andre Johnson and Justin Blackmon.

3-8 (70)- Brian Winters, G/T, Kent State

-> This is a guy we have been tied to for the entire offseason. We have been reported to have been talking to him at about every possible time it could be reported....senior bowl, combine, private visit. He is a starter from day 1 at RG imo and completes the line. Also as a side note he was a wrestler growing up which our FO seemed obsessed with last draft.

3-35 (97) *comp- Kiko Alonso, ILB, Oregon

-> This pick fills a big need as LB depth was atrocious last season. McCarthy has proven to be very injury prone so better insurance is needed. Could probalby play any of the 3 LB positions if needed and versatility is a great trait in a depth player.

4-10 (107)- Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia

-> Pollard and Wilson are both veterans and don't have many more season left in the tank so we need to start grooming replacements especially if we are planning on 3 safety looks as has been mentioned by the coaching staff this offseason. I would like to think we have young talent at S, but they have had their chances with the exception of Martin.

5-9 (142)- Matt Summers-Gavin, OT, Cal

->titans0021 sold me with the youtube video he posted in ffmdI. This guy is a mauler and could compete with Winters at RG and could be a future replacement for Big Country at RT.

6-34 (202) *comp- Jasper Collins, WR, Mount Union

->Rumors of trading Nate have died down, so WR falls down the list of needs, but this probably means Nate won't be around much longer and Britt is entering the final year of his deal so WR still needs to be addressed. Collins is from Mount Union, the same school up here in Ohio that produced Pierre Garcon and Cecil Shorts recently. Yeah, he broke their playoff records in route to their approximately 345432123th consecutive DIII title. Worth a late round pick imo.
Fun fact: I graduated from a DIII school in their conference. They humiliated us every year.

7-10 (216)- Nicholas Williams, DT, Samford

->New to football. Started playing in his senior year of HS. Has been improving every year at Samford. Should be able to develop for a year, but could push to be a part of a rotation this season.

7-42 (248) *comp- Armonty Bryant, DE, East Central (OK)

->A JUCO player who has bounced around a bit, but has had high production and has great size. Can help provide some depth at the DE position.

I could live with this draft, but I would like it way more if we were to select Rhodes at 10, then Datone Jones at 40. I'm just not a huge fan of Mingo and never will be, till I see him succeed in the NFL. To me, he was never that good at LSU, other than as a pure speed rusher and that will only get him so far in the pros. I understand that with some coaching he could be great and so on, but I think it'll be a massive mistake to draft someone off of "potential" or "what he could be" when the entire FO and coaching staff jobs are on the line._________________

Mingo and Banks in the top two rounds is my nightmare. Don't like what I've seen from either guy. I like the rest of the draft though, especially Winters in the 3rd who would be my target if we don't go guard before then.

I like most of the picks except Mingo. He's a 4-s 3 DE. He's too light and weaker than ever. That would honestly be one of the worst picks they could make_________________
Driver of the Brad Kaaya Hype Train
Adopt-A-Titan:
Bishop Sankey
DaQuan Jones

I love the mock but, I just graduated from playing football at Heidelberg last year, and just so every one is aware, this is the first year Mount Union has actually won the Title in at least 4 or 5 years. Maybe that's a bigger compliment to Jasper because he did something Cecil Shorts was unable to do. Also he did it without Nate Kmic (not sure on spelling) at running back.

Mingo and Banks in the top two rounds is my nightmare. Don't like what I've seen from either guy. I like the rest of the draft though, especially Winters in the 3rd who would be my target if we don't go guard before then.

Mingo is a problem, but what issue do you have with Banks? Banks is one of the top corners in this draft and if it weren't for his bad 40 time he would be a first round lock.

With that being said TTB I am not in love with this mock, mostly because of Mingo but I understand your reasoning._________________
Props to Kempes ^

I love the mock but, I just graduated from playing football at Heidelberg last year, and just so every one is aware, this is the first year Mount Union has actually won the Title in at least 4 or 5 years. Maybe that's a bigger compliment to Jasper because he did something Cecil Shorts was unable to do. Also he did it without Nate Kmic (not sure on spelling) at running back.

My bad. That's just the impression I had of them I guess. I must be thinking of OAC titles.

I could live with this draft, but I would like it way more if we were to select Rhodes at 10, then Datone Jones at 40. I'm just not a huge fan of Mingo and never will be, till I see him succeed in the NFL. To me, he was never that good at LSU, other than as a pure speed rusher and that will only get him so far in the pros. I understand that with some coaching he could be great and so on, but I think it'll be a massive mistake to draft someone off of "potential" or "what he could be" when the entire FO and coaching staff jobs are on the line.

I considered that, but I didn't see Jones being around at 40.

Honestly I'm not a big fan of Mingo either, but I can see the positives especially in this passing league. I think he is very comparative to Bruce Irvin and he went just as high last season. He was considered solely a speed rusher as well. Mingo won't really play many early snaps, but he can create an impact with the snaps he does play, ideally anyways.

I like most of the picks except Mingo. He's a 4-s 3 DE. He's too light and weaker than ever. That would honestly be one of the worst picks they could make

I guess I see us copying what the Seahawks did with Irvin.

How comparable do you see Irvin and Mingo?

It's a solid comparison but correct if I'm wrong, wasn't Irvin the SLB with the occasional hand in dirt like we do with Ayers. I don't see Mingo as that because I wouldn't trust him as a LB. Also Irvin has good strength._________________
Driver of the Brad Kaaya Hype Train
Adopt-A-Titan:
Bishop Sankey
DaQuan Jones